


For the Love of Clickbait

by Contego



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Lance (Voltron) is a Dork, M/M, Shiro is a veteran, Youtuber AU, youtube au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-27 18:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13253781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Contego/pseuds/Contego
Summary: Lance is a beauty guru YouTuber who has an infatuation with a certain healthy lifestyle YouTuber named Takashi Shirogane. One day, Lance finds himself unwittingly agreeing to collab with Shiro after a barrage of tweets. The spontaneousness and avidity of Lance's mind begin to mesh with the craziness and despondency of Shiro's life.





	1. BEAUTY GURU REACTS TO GORGEOUS MAN *(NOT CLICKBAIT)*

**Author's Note:**

> What am I doing instead of updating my other fic? WRITING A NEW ONE MUAHAHAHAHHA!

“ _ Hey guys, it’s me SpaceDad _ _ ™ _ _! Welcome back! A lot of people have been asking me to give an update on my workout regime… So. today I’m just going to show you some workouts I’ve been doing lately and how to do them _ !” Shiro gave his trademark flashy smile, giving a curt wave. The screen cut to the man outside in the park, his shirtless torso already glistening in sweat. Lance couldn’t get over how the man’s abs were easily defined, and how his arms were even bigger than Lance’s head. But the feature that stood out the most about the other man was the missing part of his right arm. He didn’t follow Shiro just for his good looks, though. He had various other videos uploaded to his channel- from music to storytimes. But for the most part, Lance had been following this YouTube since the very start of his own Youtube career. Lance repositioned himself on the couch for more comfort as the video continued. 

 

“ _ So, lately I’ve been working out in the park. I’ll run a few miles to start out and then go to the park that’s close to my house,”  _ Shiro paused to take a sip from his water bottle. Lance couldn’t take his eyes off of him,  _ “then I’ll just start some small workouts centered around different things around the park. _ ” Lance watched as the screen cut again to Shiro using his left arm to grab onto the monkey bars, lifting himself off the ground to do chin ups--all one-handed. Lance watched as Shiro bit his lip, closing his eyes with each rep. Soft grunts were the only thing Lance heard besides the whispers of the wind blowing.

 

Just as Lance was getting used to the incredible sight, the screen cut to a shot of the ground. In just a few seconds, Shiro positioned himself on the ground, spreading his feet apart for balance. Once the man found his stance, he began to do his set of push-ups. The veins from Shiro’s left arm began to bulge as he began his descent to a perfect 90-degree angle. ‘I could watch this all day…’ Lance thought with a smile.

 

Once more, the screen cut way before Lance was done watching the man on his screen. This time, Shiro was positioned on top of two parallel metal beams. He lifted one leg to rest on the beam, the other leg parallel to the other but hovering above the void between the two beams. With almost inhuman ease, Shiro began to lower himself between the bars and push himself back up. Lance watched with his usual awe, watching the sweat drip from his nose and onto his torso. The man’s trademark bright red shorts with the USMC logo on the front blew in the wind with each rep. ‘If I was there I could’ve seen up his shorts!” The very thought of that made Lance turn a bright red---something he did often while watching this glorious, beautiful man.

 

Lance noticed as the video came to an end, the camera cut one more time back to the gravel-covered sidewalk. Once more Shiro positioned himself back onto the ground into a push-up position. But this time, he lifted his left leg as he pushed himself up and down. Lance noticed the increased difficulty, as Shiro’s pace slowed down on these. Yet, much to Lance’s surprise, Shiro still got in a full set. On the last push-up, he finally rested on his knees, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Another trademark smile that melted Lance’s heart.

 

“ _ That’s it for today, guys. I make new videos every Monday through Friday, so expect a juicy storytime for tomorrow at the regular time! And as usual, make sure to thank your veterans and active duty servicemen and women around you. Make sure to drink water and eat at least a cup of fruits or vegetables today. You can do it! I believe in you!”  _ Lance watched as Shiro flashed another smile followed by a thumbs up. The screen went black. The typical SpaceDad outro---encouraging with a hint of nagging. But Lance actually liked how genuine Shiro was with his outros. Most YouTubers shamelessly promote merch or their other platforms. But Shiro? He uses it to try and give that one last push someone might need to do something good that day. It warmed Lance’s heart thinking about it.

 

With a sigh, he whipped out his phone and started to scroll through his twitter feed. Nothing but other pretentious Youtubers and the occasional spicy meme.

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ Just watched @SpaceDad ‘s new video… Jealous! I can’t even do 10 push-ups! _

 

Lance always made a comment about the videos he watched. It was almost like his token of appreciation to the creators. Though, ask anyone, he tweets about Shiro’s videos more than any of his other friends. Pidge and Hunk both harass him about it almost daily… But he denies it being anything more than just a friendly compliment! He knows they probably don’t believe him… He continued his mindless scrolling when his notification icon popped up a new notification.

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance I’m always up for private training ;-) _

 

HOLY SHIT! Shiro not only tweeted him back but was he  _ flirting _ ? Lance could pass out right then and there. His heart pounded faster than a rabbit in heat. ‘Holy fucking shit! He tweeted me! What do I say?’ His thoughts filled with nothing but panic and what-ifs.

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad Only if you train shirtless… _

 

Lance pressed sent before he had a second to regret his actions. Fuck. Was that creepy? Would Shiro think he’s creepy?

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance I wouldn’t dare train you with a shirt on. I’ll give you a lesson if you teach me how to make those face masks from your last video. _

 

Wait… Shiro watches  _ his  _ videos? Lance could orgasm right then and there. He could die with his phone in his hand. Lance could get kidnapped right from this very spot… And he wouldn’t care about any of it because  _ holy shit _  Shiro watches his content.

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad 1. I’m crying you watch my stuff? 2. Yes, I’ll show you. 3. Collab with me? _

An almost instant reply.

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance 1. Of course, I love your videos. 2. Good, b/c my skin is desperate for your help. 3. It’s about time. Tomorrow? _

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad DM me… Please don’t be a murderer. I’m too pretty to die! _

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance. Sent. And I regret to inform you that I am indeed an ax murderer. I agree you’re too pretty to die, but my thirst for killing is too strong to resist. I’m sorry. _

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad At least finish our collab before you gut me. _

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance I pinky promise! _

 

Lance was over the moon. Shiro was funny  _ and  _ cute?! Oh, this man would be the death of him. With a deep breath and closed eyes, he laid his head back on the couch cushion to begin his contemplating for their collab. What would he wear? What cologne would he sport? Should he do his hair and makeup? Should he come dressed to workout or just how he usually dresses? Oh, so many things to think about! Lance groaned loudly at his long list of decisions he has to make. Soon his phone began to blow up from all his different sorts of media.

 

The masses finally got word of their exchange, starting up their usual fan gossip.

 

“ _ OMG! So cute!” _

 

_ “My ship is sailing AHHH!” _

 

_ “They finna fuck or NAH?!” _

 

Lance scrolled through the numerous different tweets from both his fans and those from Shiro’s channel. While he was excited to finally meet the Youtuber that inspired him to begin his channel, Lance also felt like he was going to puke from the sheer nervousness.

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ [Pinned tweet] _

_ How hard should I make Lance’s workout? Vote below! _

_ [Easy] [Hard] [KILL HIM] _

 

Lance obviously clicked on [Easy], but the results were not in his favor.

 

_ [Easy: 10%] [Hard: 30%] [KILL HIM: 60%] _

 

Great. Now that feeling of puking from his nervousness was about to be accompanied by the future pain of what Shiro had in store for him.


	2. CIVILIAN ATTEMPTS MARINE PT!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro kills Lance... Lance shows Shiro face masks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this doesn't seem as bad when you read it, but trust me... It was actually terrible and I died. 
> 
> oh shit, I have PT tomorrow... FUUUUUUUCK! I haven't drunk water today whoops.. well tomorrow will suck. Oh well!

Lance fumbled with his GoPro, extending it out after he pressed play. With a deep breath, he began his usual spiel.

 

“Hey, my wonderful people! I’m on my way to Shiro’s place right now to get murdered... “ He took a deep breath, tugging on the collar of his t-shirt, “So, thanks for that guys!” Lance flashed a smile as a car pulled up behind him, “Well, that’s my Uber! See you guys later!” Lance turned off his camera, taking in another deep breath. This is it. The day he’d finally meet the guy he’s been  stalking  subscribed to for years now. It’s not the exercise that’s making him nervous, well that’s a lot of it, but it’s mainly Shiro that’s making him feel nervous. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of the gorgeous man, but if this is the only way to be close to him, then fuck it! With unusual enthusiasm for exercise, Lance gripped his bag in his hand and loaded into the car. 

 

The ride to Shiro’s apartment was only about 30 minutes or so. Lance lived in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri while Shiro lived in Lees Summit. It was still in the metro area, but still a 30-minute drive. The afternoon traffic hadn’t even begun yet, which helped the length of the trip. 

 

Lance looked at the apartment complex up and down, then to his phone in his hand. Third floor and fourth door to the left. Lance gripped the bag tighter, biting his lip. It’s not too late to turn back. He could fake an illness or say his imaginary cat ran away! 

 

“Don’t baby out, McClain!” Lance told himself, working up the confidence to even walk up the stairs, “It won’t be that bad!” He repeated that mantra in his mind as he walked up the stairs, making his way to the fourth door on the left. He could hear his heart pound in his chest, which threatened to rip out of his body. He lifted his hand, knocking on the door three times. The door opened moments later to reveal a  _ very  _ tall and  _ very  _ muscular Shiro. 

 

“Hey!” His smile melted Lance’s heart. Seeing it on screen is way different than in person, “Come on in! Make yourself at home.” He stepped aside, letting Lance walk in. Lance looked around the apartment as Shiro quickly went to his bedroom to grab something. The walls were decorated with pictures of various things. From military related photos to those of him and his brother. Above the mantle was a flag inside a case, along with various medals, a ribbon rack, and his badges. Lance found himself wandering over to it, looking at each one in extreme detail. He had no clue what any of them symbolized, but they must have been worth something to display. After all, Shiro has seen some things. Lance only knows this because Shiro’s been open about his time in the service and his constant physical and mental battles with what happened. 

 

“Yeah, it probably makes no sense to civilians, doesn’t it?” Shiro said from behind Lance, which only caused the other man to jump. Shiro is like a cat--quiet and pops up unexpectedly. Lance nodded, laughing nervously, “Sometimes it’s too hard to even look at it, so sometimes I have to stick it in the couch cushions. Keith hates it. He’ll sit on the sharp edges and stab his butt.” Shiro laughed softly. Lance smiled at him, not really knowing if he should laugh at that. 

 

Sensing the awkwardness in the air, Shiro pulled an article of clothing from behind his back, flashing it to Lance. 

 

“Hold on!” Lance panicked, pulling his GoPro back out and turning it on, “okay, you can continue!” Lance smiled, giving a thumbs up. Shiro simply shook the shirt, flashing it to the camera. 

 

“My rules for this workout are simple. One: You have to wear this shirt,” Lance notice the navy blue shirt donned the USMC logo on the front and MARINES printed on the back, both in red, “ And two: don’t give up. No matter how hard it gets, just don’t give up on yourself. You’re better than you think… The pain you’ll feel is just weakness leaving the body,” Shiro bit his lip, handing Lance the shirt. 

 

“First, wow, what an inspirational-dad thing to say… Second, why this shirt?”

 

“Well, I wore it when I was a poolee and I just  _ really  _ wanna see you wearing my shirt.” Shiro winked, walking into the kitchen to grab his gallon of water. Lance quickly turned his camera off, going to the bathroom. Which, when there are only two bedrooms, was very easy to find. He looked himself in the mirror, taking in a breath. 

 

“You’ll be fine, Lance… You’ll die, but you’ll be fine!” He nodded to himself, quickly changing into the huge shirt. It hung off of his frame but didn’t go past his knees, surprisingly. After tucking the extra fabric into his sweatpants, he made his way back to the living room. Shiro was sitting on the couch cross-legged, eating pieces of a cut up banana. 

 

“Ready? The recruiting station is down in Independence, so I can drive us down there.” The taller man stood, placing his plate in the sink. He grabbed his jacket and keys, heading toward the door, opening it for Lance, “After you.” Lance quickly walked through the door, waiting for Shiro. The two walked down to the parking lot together in comfortable silence, eventually hitting the road to get to their destination. 

 

“Oh gosh, this is a good song!” Shiro beamed, turning the radio's volume using the feature on his steering wheel. Lance wasn’t nervous about Shiro driving with only his left arm because he’s probably done it a lot! But Lance couldn’t help but grip his leg a little tighter than usual…

 

The song that popped up  _ That’s What I Like  _ by Bruno Mars. Shiro sang along to it, tapping his left foot to the beat. Lance started laughing, soaking up every second of this. 

 

“If I had my other arm, I would totally dab to this song!” Shiro exclaimed over the lyrics, a huge grin on his face. Lance didn’t care if that was possibly the lamest thing he’s ever heard because the fact it came from Shiro's mouth was all that mattered. It was cute. In an… embarrassing dad kind of way. 

 

***

The two stretched and got ready for the PT session, and by this time Shiro had thrown his shirt against the back of the recruiting office. Shiro couldn’t help but notice just how  _ flexible  _ Lance was. He had to stop himself from staring too much during their stretches. But Lance also couldn’t help but look at Shiro’s shirtless body for longer than he should have. 

 

Shaking the sinful thoughts out of his head, Lance grabbed his small bag. He pulled out their headgear that held their GoPros, attaching the cameras and putting the band on his head, turning the camera on. Shiro stared at him, pursing his lips. Well, this is a predicament. 

 

“Hey, uh... Lance, could you please give me a hand?” He asked softly, holding out his head strap. Quickly, Lance got it positioned on Shiro’s head, turning it on. Pretty awkward. 

 

“So, we’re just gonna run a bit, do some workouts, and that’s pretty much it.” Lance was amazed at how overly simply Shiro made this all sound, “Let’s go! On the road!” Shiro jogged to the paved sidewalk that was apart of the Blue Creek Trail. Lance followed behind, already slightly regretting this. 

 

The two of them began to run, making it about half a mile down the road before Shiro stopped, laying on the grass on the side of the pavement, in a pushup position. Lance mimicked him, facing Shiro.

 

“I’ll count the cadence you count the repetitions.” Lance nodded, “When I say push-up, you yell Marine Corps, okay?” He smiled at Lance, who nodded.

 

“Push up!” They both pushed up.

 

“Marine Corps!” Lance yelled. It felt a bit silly, but he knew it was what he had to do. 

 

“A one,” They went down, “two,” Back down, “three-” Back up, “ONE!” Shiro demonstrated the counting process. Lance groaned, throwing his head down. TWO pushups equal ONE in their mind? That’s insane. Lance stuck it out, completing 20 (though, he’ll say 40) Marine Corps push-ups. 

 

“Alright, let’s get to running!” Shiro said overly-happy. Much to Lance’s dismay, they continued this for the next three miles. Which, by then, Lance has all but died. 

 

“Come on, we're almost to the next spot.” Shiro encouraged, slowing his pace down to match Lance--who was falling back. They ran another half mile to a small hill, stopping. Shiro let him take a water break to catch his breath. Lord knows Lance needs one. 

 

“I feel like I’m gonna puke…” Lance mumbled. Shiro laughed, sitting down on the grass next to him. 

“Well, you’ll feel better if you do. I used to puke  _ a lot _ as a poolee.” Okay, Lance was officially never joining the military. Not that he could due to his age anyway… But still. The thought of puking a lot grossed him out. 

 

“I’ll take the risk and hold it in.” Lance stood, throwing his water in the grass. Shiro followed him, running his only hand through his very sweaty hair. 

 

“Okay, you’re going to bear crawl up this hill. 10 times.” Shiro walked to the base of the hill, bending over and getting into position. The other followed his lead, reluctantly. 

 

“Go!” The two began their exercise and Lance started off really good, but by the 5th time around, Lance was dead. He was going very slowly up the hill.

 

“You can do it, Lance! Come on! Get up the fucking hill!” Shiro yelled as he stood at the top of the hill, encouraging his fellow YouTuber. Lance groaned as he made his way up the hill his last few times. His arms and his legs hurt so bad. He could barely move. 

 

“Okay! Let’s get going! On the road!” Shiro smiled at him again. Usually, Lance yearns to hear Shiro’s rough, yet soft, voice… But right now? Not so much. All he wanted to hear was the sound of the bath running and his bath bombs fizzing in the water. With a loud groan, Lance met Shiro on the road and they continued on their way. 

 

Eventually, two miles later, they made their final stop. This time, the hill was gigantic. Dread pooled in his stomach. Just thinking about what they’re about to do made Lance want to spew chunks. 

 

“After this, we’ll be done. I mean.. It’s another .2 miles back to the office, but we’re technically done after this.” Lance gulped, looking at Shiro as if he’s just got the worst news ever.

 

“And.. What exactly are we doing with this hill?” His throat was dry. He couldn’t quite tell if it was because of his lack of hydration or the fact he knew he wouldn’t survive this. 

 

“Sprinting up it, of course! We’ll only do it five times.”

 

“Oh, yeah, Of course!” Lance mimicked, following Shiro to the base of the hill. 

 

“Ready? Go!” The two began to sprint up the hill, making it up there in a crisp 30 seconds. Each time they went, Lance got significantly slower. By the fourth time, Shiro was practically pushing him up the hill.

 

“Just go without me… I’ll make it eventually.” Shiro shook his head. 

 

“Marines don’t leave their comrades behind. We finish together or not at all. Now let’s get up this fucking hill and show it whose bitch!” Shiro helped Lance make it to the top, only to have to do the exact same thing again. Once at the top for the last time, Lance cried out in the victory. 

 

“We fucking made it! Woot!” And just for the meme, he dabbed. Shiro laughed with him between heavy breaths. God, Lance looked so good all sweaty  _ and  _ in his old PT shirt. He took mental screenshots, depositing it in the ‘ _ For Tonight’ _ folder in his brain. 

 

“Let’s get back to my place.” 

 

***

“Is the camera on?” Shiro questioned, looking for the blinking light. Lance simply nodded, looking down at all the ingredients sprawled out on the kitchen table to make sure he had everything. 

 

“Okay, ready?” Shiro nodded, watching as Lance did his typical video introduction. 

 

“Hello, my wonderful people! Today I just got my beautiful butt kicked by this  _ gorgeous  _ hunk of a man, SpaceDad, and we’re both in desperate need for a face mask,” Lance ran his fingers through his hair with a smile, “And I’ll also be introducing Shiro to the wonderful world of beauty.” Lance shuffled the ingredients around, placing the one’s Shiro needs in front of him.

 

“So, we’ll be doing something easy. It’s a honey mask that has cinnamon and lemon. The cinnamon helps with redness and the lemon helps to exfoliate your skin.” Shiro could watch Lance talk about this all day. The way Lance’s face lit up with he explained everything just made Shiro’s heart skip a beat. It was a beautiful sight. 

 

“Okay, so, you just squeeze the lemon in the bowl,” Lance and Shiro both squeezed the lemon, later discarding it, “Then you’ll need one teaspoon of cinn- SHIRO  **_NO_ ** !” Lance screamed, watching as Shiro dumped about 4 tablespoons of cinnamon into his bowl. 

 

“What?”

 

“That’s… Waaaay too much…” The two of them stared at each other for a moment before breaking out into loud laughter. At some point, Shiro’s cheeks began to hurt and Lance’s sides were throbbing. A few minutes later, the two had calmed down and started to work back on their face masks. 

 

“I’ll just… Add some more lemon to balance it out!” Shiro grabbed 5 more wedges, squeezing them into the bowl. Lance shook his head, the same dumb grin plastered across his face. It didn’t leave the entirety of their filming. 

 

“Now, you add 2 tablespoons of honey… Or in Shiro’s case… Just add a shit ton.” The two added in their honey, mixing it until it resembled a paste to apply. Lance helped Shiro get a headband on to push away his hair, and he did the same for himself. They both looked at each other, sharing another laugh.

 

“You look silly.” Lance laughed.

 

“You look cute.” Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Did Shiro  _ really  _ say that?  _ Fuck _ . 

 

“Not as cute as you’ll look with a ridiculous amount of cinnamon caked on your face.” Lance teased as he applied the face mask to himself. Shiro could feel himself turning red, so he quickly painted the brown goop to his face. There. That should hide it. 

 

“Now wait 15 to 20 minutes!” Lance turned off the camera, starting to clean up the mess on the table. Well,  _ Shiro’s  _ mess… The table was  _ covered  _ in cinnamon. 

 

Once the table was cleared and their 20 minutes was up, the two sat back at the table and turned the camera on. Shiro was already scraping his off, tasting a bit that was on his finger. 

 

“Not bad…” He shrugged, leaning over to Lance, sticking out his tongue and licking just a bit off of his face, “Not bad, either… Way less cinnamon in yours, though.” Lance was absolutely speechless. He wanted to speak--to scream. To take Shiro and lick him but in  _ other  _ places. 

 

“Well… Well… Well, uh… Yeah. This has been, uh… Yeah, fun.” Lance sputtered, still not knowing what to say. Shiro could tell Lance was absolutely shocked, so he took it upon himself to do the outro. 

 

“Well, it’s been a rough day for us. I possibly killed Lance and gave myself cinnamon poisoning. We’re gonna get cleaned up now, “Shiro paused, licking his mask again, “Remember to drink some milk today and get at least 30 minutes of active exercise each day! See you soon!” Shiro stood, turning the camera off. 

 

***

The two of them got cleaned up shortly after the filming ended, which then turned into watching other YouTubers on his television. They watched at least 2 hours worth of content until Lance decided it was time to head back home to edit. 

 

“I had fun today… Even if you did kill me with all that exercise.” Lance smiled up at him, biting his lip. They were outside on Shiro’s stoop, Lance’s Uber driver waiting for him. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye.

 

“Thanks for teaching me how to make a face mask. I’ll do it right next time.”  _ Next time.  _ Does that mean Shiro wants to make videos together again? God, Lance hoped so. 

 

“I’ll hold you to that,’ Lance gave Shiro a side hug, “See you later, Kashi.” And with that, Lance walked down the stairs to his Uber.

 

‘Kashi… I could get used to that.’ Shiro thought as he closed the door behind Lance. It wasn’t until he sat on the couch, looking around at everything that he realized that he was alone again. Keith was out of town for school at the moment, so it was just Shiro for awhile. 

 

God, he hated it. When he was alone, he could hear every single thought and could feel every feeling with such intensity that it hurt him physically. He guesses that’s just something that comes with being a PTSD-ridden amputee. The indescribable loneliness of it all hits him every single night without fail. 

 

His body and mind went into autopilot the rest of the night. He fixed a meal, ate, then promptly went to bed. But he doesn’t remember a single second of it. He dissociates often. While he knows it’s bad, he can’t help but enjoy it… Because then he doesn’t have to deal with everything head-on. 

 

***

**_A week and a half later…_ **

 

Lance was awoken by a loud bing on both his computer  _ and  _ his phone. He groaned as he pulled the eye mask off his face, grabbing for his phone that laid on his nightstand. 

 

_ SpaceDad has posted a new video! Check it out! _

 

Lance glanced at the clock. What is Shiro doing posting at 3:30 AM? He yawned as he logged into his phone, opening the YouTube app. He pulled up Shiro’s video. There was Shiro. Shirtless, but his usual smile wasn’t plastered on his face. His eyes looked red and the video looks like it was shot hastily from his bedroom with no effort.

 

_ “Hey, guys…”  _ No usual upbeat intro. Something’s wrong,  _ “So… I know this isn’t a usual video, but I just… I just had to vent. As you know, I’m pretty open about what I go through, but tonight… Tonight was the worst episode yet.”  _ Lance sat on his bed, his eyes glued to the screen. He’s seen Shiro vulnerable in videos like this before, but he never seemed so… Broken. 

 

_ “Usually, It’s not so vivid, but tonight I could  _ feel  _ everything they did to me. I felt every single cut and saw. Apparently, I was so loud, my neighbor was banging on my door to make sure I wasn’t being murdered.”  _ Shiro laughed bitterly, running his hand through his sweaty hair, “ _ I have these dreams every night, but for some reason tonight just those dreams, but  _ on crack. _ ”  _ Lance wanted to hold Shiro close and tell him everything would be okay. He wanted Shiro to know that he had someone there for him. 

 

_ “Fuck, guys, I’m sorry. I know this is dumb because it’s just a dream, but… I don’t know. I’m just afraid that one day I’ll accidentally hurt someone in my episodes,”  _ Lance’s heart broke in two each time Shiro posted videos about his problems, but this video broke it into a million tiny pieces. He had to fix this, “ _ Anyways… I’m sorry if I woke anyone up. I’m sorry.”  _ And with that, Shiro’s video ended. Lance exited the app, opening up his texts.

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ Hey, you up? I’m starving and I am really craving some IHOP. _

 

_ From: Muscle Man _

_ Did I wake you up with my video? I’m sorry... _

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ I was already up. But since you’re up, wanna join me for IHOP? _

 

_ From: Muscle Man _

_ At 3 AM? _

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ That’s the best time to get IHOP. I’ll come get you. _

 

_ From: Muscle Man _

_ Hey Lance? _

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ Yeah, Kashi? _

 

_ From: Muscle Man _

_ Thanks. I appreciate it. _

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ Of course. Anything for my muscle man.  _

 

And with that, Lance hopped into his car and began his drive to get Shiro. It may just be pancakes, but Lance would do anything to get Shiro’s smile back on his face where it belongs


	3. DO I HAVE A BOYFRIEND? (STORY TIME)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TROYE SIVAN IS MY SON
> 
> Also, if anyone gets my Simon Vs The Homo Sapien Agenda reference, I'll take you on a date to IHOP. 
> 
> Also, sorry for the jump and pace of this story but I only have 19 DAYS UNTIL I LEAVE FOR BOOT CAMP SO I NEED TO CRANK THIS OUT!

The drive over only took about 20 minutes or so, which was pretty quick going from KCMO to Shiro’s house. Maybe it’s the fact there was no traffic. Or maybe it was the fact Lance turned into a speed demon and went 90 down the highway the whole drive there. Which is exactly why Lance took Ubers almost everywhere because that way there was no way he’d get a ticket. But Shiro needed him and Uber drivers simply weren’t out at such a late hour. 

 

_ From: Beauty King _

_ I’m outside :-) _

 

It only took Shiro a crisp minute and a half to get to the car and buckle himself in. Lance looked over at him, taking in Shiro’s just-out-of-bed messy hair and his sleep clothes. His pink Troye Sivan hoodie hugged his body just right and so did his grey sweatpants. All around, even though Shiro just rolled out of bed, he still looked like a model. And Lance absolutely loved it. 

 

“I’m ready to eat so many pancakes!” Lance exclaimed as he backed out of the space and made his way onto the road toward IHOP. Shiro’s apartment wasn’t too far from the famous breakfast place, which made it even better for Lance’s growing craving.

 

“I could drink 10 cups of coffee,” Shiro commented, his eyes glowing from just thinking about tasting the glorious drink that is coffee. 

 

“Hey, Shiro, can I ask you something weird?” Shiro hummed his response, giving Lance the green light to continue, “Are you, uh, dating anyone?” Shiro looked over at him, his eyes looking like a deer in the headlights. 

 

“Uh… No. I’m not… Why?” Shiro’s tone showed a hint of nervousness. Part of him wanted Lance to say something--  _ anything  _ along the lines of, ‘Because I want to date you’ or even ‘Because I want to ride you all night long.’ Shiro was desperate for an indication of Lance’s feelings. But instead of what he hoped for, Lance stayed silent. Part of Shiro deflated. There’s no way Lance could like him. No one would like someone as broken as him--mentally and physically. He should have never agreed to that collab almost two weeks ago. Ever since then, he couldn’t get this stupid, handsome,  _ amazing  _ boy out of his head. He hated this---knowing he can’t have what he wants. 

 

“Troye Sivan, right?” Shiro nodded, a slight frown drooping on his face as Lance went into his music, searching until Shiro heard the soft opening notes of  _ Talk Me Down  _ played over the speakers. Shiro listened to Lance softly sing the lyrics and tap his finger to the beat on the steering wheel. The moment was so pure and mesmerizing to Shiro. The way Lance smiled through each note, swaying his head lightly made Shiro’s heart skip a beat. He couldn’t help but watch Lance the whole ride there. The two arrived at the empty parking lot at IHOP, but Lance kept the car going so he could finish singing the song. The voice inside Shiro’s head was telling him, ‘He’s singing this to you! Make a move, idiot!’ But He did nothing except watch the man in front of him in all his glory. 

 

_ “I wanna sleep next to you.”  _ Lance looked to Shiro as he softly sang along, smiling wide. Shiro saw something when he looked into Lance’s eyes. It was something along the lines of desire and sadness. Shiro bit his lip to stop himself from saying or doing something stupid. 

 

_ “And I wanna come home to you.”  _ Lance’s eye contact didn’t break, but his eyebrows furrowed. Shiro found himself raising his hand to Lance’s cheek, brushing out stray hair from his eyes. He always liked seeing all of Lance. He had a pretty fucking great face. 

 

_ “I wanna hold hands with you.”  _ Lance’s voice sounded like music to Shiro’s ears. He’d have to convince Lance to start doing music for his channel. But mainly for him in private. Lance’s hand met Shiro’s, softly gripping onto his cold, soft hand. He could feel himself gravitating toward Shiro closer and closer with each second. Shiro’s heart pounded in his chest a million miles an hour. 

 

_ “I wanna be close to you.”  _ The two were inches apart, their foreheads finally softly touching each other. Ever since their collab, their idiotic twitter banter grew and their texting went from zero to one hundred. Lance’s infatuation turned into something more quickly. It was one day when Shiro sent him  _ Wild  _ By Troye Sivan over text with a simple, “For you :-)” Under the link that Lance knew he had fallen too deep. He knew he was utterly fucked. “ _ But I wanna sleep next to you, _ ” Lance sang softly.

 

“ _ And that’s all I wanna do right now. _ ” Shiro sang back to him, a soft smile appearing on his mouth. All Lance could do was close his eyes to take in every second of Shiro’s blissful voice. He sounds even better in person. All those homemade videos of him sitting on a stool, singing softly to the strum of his guitar didn’t compare in the slightest to this moment. 

 

“ _ And I wanna come home to you, but home is just a room full of my safest sounds. So come over now... _ ”Shiro continued, pulling his head away from Lance as the last words of the song rang out. The two of them sat there, staring at each other in complete silence. Whoever said silence was good was dead wrong. No other noise in the world creates such tension like silence. It’s deafening, yet void of all things one thinks they know about sound. But silence isn’t always golden. Silence can be lonely. Lord knows how many sleepless nights Shiro sat awake in his room, haunted by the silence that accompanied the darkness. 

 

“Shiro, I--” Lance started. He couldn’t find the right words to say. How do you tell someone that you’ve been infatuated/have a crush on them? Do you just  _ say  _ it? Do you  _ do  _ something? What the actual  _ fuck  _ does one do in this situation?! 

 

“Lance, this-- whatever just happened-- it won’t work.” Shiro’s voice cracked at the last part as he broke eye contact, looking down at his sneakers. Lance was visibly taken aback. 

 

“Wh-what? Why not?” His voice was soft, practically non-existent. Nothing hurts the heart more than heartbreak. 

 

“Fuck, Lance, I want it to work  _ so  _ bad, but... “ Shiro sighed heavily, “I have so much baggage that it’s pathetic. You shouldn’t have to deal with that--the flashbacks, the night terrors, and everything else that comes with being… Me.” Shiro shrunk in his seat, visibly upset about all this. Lance could understand where he came from but still didn’t see it as a good enough reason. He laid his hand on Shiro’s arm, gripping onto him. 

 

“And? Look- I’m not trying to push you into something you’re not ready for, but Shiro--fuck, I wouldn’t put myself out there for you if I wasn’t 100% ready for you and everything that comes with you,” Lance gave a soft smile, moving his hand to Shiro’s cheek. The other man didn’t say anything. He could tell that Shiro still doubted himself, “I work off of impulse and enthusiasm. You work off of calculation and dejection. I’m no science expert, but I’m pretty sure opposites attract.” That made Shiro snort, a smile cracking through his despondent features. 

 

“We’re more similar than you think.” 

 

“Oh yeah? Even better.”

 

“Then wouldn’t that mean we  _ don’t  _ attract because science says so?” Shiro joked.

 

“Whatever. I’m better at making internet videos than I am at making the science community shook,” Lance’s smile grew once he saw Shiro start to open up again. The other man laughed, shaking his head. He didn’t understand the whole ‘internet speak’ but Lance used it so often, he grew used to it, “Let’s go inside, ok? I’m really hungry.” Shiro nodded.

 

“Lance? One more thing.”

 

“Yeah, what is it?”

 

“I do want to be with you. So fucking bad… But I don’t want to hurt you.” 

 

“It’s okay, Shiro. We’ll take baby steps.” Lance smiled at him and for the first time, Shiro felt as if the universe wasn’t out to get him. 

 

***

 

“Jesus… You weren’t kidding when you said you could drink 10 cups…” Lance watched in amazement as Shiro poured his 11th cup of coffee. How is he still alive?! Shiro simply shrugged as he put the cup to his lips, taking in a long sip of his drink, "It's just a really good drink. Also, I'm surprised you ate 8 pancakes." Shiro smiled, laying his cup down and resting his hand on the table.

 

"Me?! You ate like... 20!"

 

"I'm a growing boy." Shiro joked. Once more the two of them made silent eye contact. Except for this time, the silence was comfortable. Lance broke the eye contact, glancing down at the table.

 

“Is something wrong, Lance?”

 

“It’s just… It’s stupid and you’ll think it’s weird.” He mumbled.

 

“Nothing you do is weird or stupid… What’s wrong?” 

 

“I just-- I want to hold your hand,” Lance mumbled, his face turning bright red. Shiro’s mind went blank in that moment. What does one even say?

 

“Well, then hold it.” He said softly, opening his hand for Lance. The other reached over the table, intertwining their fingers. Lance’s hands were soft from all the products and time spent exfoliating. Which was a nice juxtaposition against Shiro’s calloused, rough hand. But Lance liked that feeling. It was so very… Shiro. 

 

“Baby steps?” Shiro asked softly, looking with nothing but disbelief at their entwined fingers. They were actually holding hands. It made Shiro dizzy. 

 

“Yeah, Kashi. At your pace.” Lance smiled at him, feeling his heart beat faster and faster. He was holding hands with Shiro. A man he technically met for the first time almost 2 weeks ago. Someone he’s been following for years now. A person he fell for completely in such a short time. 

 

Shiro knew it was crazy to feel like this for someone he just only met, but something in him was moving him forward. He couldn’t quite pinpoint the source of his feelings, but they were there. Much like the terrifying strike of lightning, Shiro’s emotions were powerful in strength, random in timing, and they electrified every atom of his being. 

 

He could get used to this feeling. 


	4. LANGUAGE TAG (SPANISH VS JAPANESE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance discovers something about Shiro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Adrian for not only being his typical amazing and cute self but for giving me this idea. I love you!
> 
> I was going to have Shiro speaking some Japanese, but I can only speak Spanish and French fluently, so I didn't want to accidentally get anyone mad! Sorry! My boss's daughter speaks fluent Japanese, so she'll help me with the next chapter!

I was going to have Shiro speaking some Japanese, but I can only speak Spanish and French fluently, so I didn't want to accidentally get anyone mad! Sorry! My boss's daughter speaks fluent Japanese, so she'll help me with the next chapter! 

  
  


By 4:30 AM the two shuffled out of the local breakfast joint and both stood in front of the door to Shiro’s apartment. Lance, being the gentleman he is, walked Shiro up to his door. Which honestly made Shiro fall just a little bit more. 

 

“It’s pretty late, so… If you want… You can, um, you can stay over? If you like---” Shiro bit his lip, looking down at the worn doormat. Did he  _ really  _ just say that? Now Lance will think he’s wei--

 

“That’d actually be really nice. I live in Kansas City, but I'm beaten.” Lance smiled at him. He really was dead tired, though. Anyone who lived in the KCMO metro area knew that while things are fairly close, don’t dare drive down the highways whilst tired. Cause you’ll probably die on the numerous winding overpasses and the confusing Grandview triangle. 

 

“Then let’s get out of this cold.” Shiro dug into his pocket, pulling out his MARINES.COM lanyard, grabbing his key and opening the door. He stepped aside, letting Lance enter first. The warmth his him like a freight train, which was  _ really  _ nice. Shiro followed behind him, locking the door. 

 

“You can sleep in Keith’s room. He’s away.” Shiro explained as he leads Lance to his younger brother’s room. The room was neatly put together, despite there being an obvious clutter of objects, “He’s a hoarder. But at least he keeps his room tidy.” Lance looked around, taking everything in. This guy seemed… Emo. But not the kind of emo that would admit it out loud that he was, in fact, an emo. The only object in the entire room that brought his attention was the beautiful acoustic guitar in the corner. 

 

“Do you mind if I touch it?” Shiro shook his head, jumping onto his brother’s bed that was against the wall. Lance gently took the guitar in his hand, strumming a few notes. If there was one thing he was completely confident in, it’s his ability to play the guitar, “It’s been a hot second since I’ve played.” 

 

“Well, from what little I’ve heard, you’re pretty good.” Shiro smiled, watching as Lance sat next to him on the bed, playing out more chords. Shiro watched as Lance grew more comfortable with the instrument, softly humming a few notes. Soon his head began to bop back and forth, his voice growing louder. Quickly, Shiro was able to pick out what he was singing. Which, was amazing considering he was singing in… Spanish.

 

“¿Hablas español?” Shiro asked softly, hoping his Spanish wasn’t as horrible as he thought it was. Lance stopped dead in his tracks, looking Shiro dead in the eyes. Shiro could tell he was nothing but shock. It was if Lance forgot all those years he spoke Spanish to form a comprehensive sentence. 

 

“Uh... Sí. “Lance said softly, still not looking away from Shiro, “¿Puedes hablar español? ”  Shiro nodded lightly. 

 

“I took Spanish for five years in high school. I’m not fluent or anything, but… Apparently, even though I’m fluent in Japanese, the school still wanted me to take their class. Spanish was the only one open.” Shiro explained, watching as Lance processed everything. Just when he thought he knew Shiro from watching every single video the moment it came out, the other threw a curveball. But Lance like that. It meant that there was more to Shiro than what he let the world see… And Lance couldn’t wait to unravel him. 

 

“What you were singing was a pretty good song. Latinoamérica, right? By Calle 13?” Shiro questioned. God. Not only is Shiro super cute, buff, and sweet… But he speaks  _ Spanish _ . And he knows songs  _ in Spanish _ . Could this man get any more perfect? Lance took in a small breath, taking in that last revelation. 

 

“Yeah. It’s a really good song. But obscure. I’m surprised you know it.” Lance quipped, strumming at the guitar again. Shiro scooted further up on the bed, laying his back against the wall. He could watch and listen to Lance play the guitar and sing all fucking night and day. 

 

They sat there on the bed, Lance softly singing in Spanish and strumming away until he began yawning profusely. God, was it already 5:30? Shit, he needed sleep. And he needed it now. 

 

“Let’s get some sleep. I’ve kept you up all night.” Shiro scooted off the bed, placing the guitar back into its place. Lance simply laid down, shimmying his way under the covers. ‘These are way better than what I have at home.’ Lance thought to himself, rubbing his eyes with another yawn. 

 

“Wait!” Lance called out, stopping Shiro dead in his tracks. The other man turned sharply, facing Lance, “Don’t go. I mean- It’s just… I.. Um…” Lance trailed off. How do you say that you want to sleep with them, but not in a sexual way? Just in a, ‘Hey I like you and you like me, so let’s cuddle!’ kind of way. But also, how do you say that without sounding  _ really  _ creepy? Because every situation in Lance’s mind just came out sounding like a goddamn creeper. 

 

“No need to say anything,” Shiro said softly, walking closer to the bed. He climbed onto the bed on the side closest to the wall, crawling under the covers with only minimal trouble. He’s the complete opposite of a graceful swan. Once he was under and settled, he wrapped his arm around Lance, pulling him closer. It sucked he only had one arm in cases like this since it meant there only being really one good way to cuddle. 

 

“Hey, Kashi?” Lance asked with another yawn. He was 2 seconds away from passing out. 

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m really glad we collabed two weeks ago… I’m glad I met you.” His eyes closed. Shiro knew that Lance’s eyes and body finally gave out on him. But he couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Me too,” Shiro said softly. Shiro began to drift off, his eyes finally closing shut. And for the first time in a hot minute, he didn’t have a nightmare. Maybe Lance was his good luck charm. Or maybe he was just so sleep deprived his brain got too lazy to create a living hell. Either way, Shiro didn’t mind one bit. 


	5. SHIRO'S MY WHAT?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They kiss?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sick and I finally met Gunny Sgt and he's really nice. I also got my paperwork in for my promotion, so I'll be a PFC out of boot camp. 
> 
> But since I'm so sick I am only updating this fic tonight.

**One month later…**

 

“Hey everyone, it’s your local SpaceDad! Lance and I are here at the local laser tag arena and we got permission to film inside, so now we’re going to shoot each other,” Shiro panned his camera to Lance, who was still placing his laser tag equipment on himself. Lance paused his action to look into the lens and flash a smile, “If I win, we get to do a video of my choosing. If you win, you get to pick our next video.” Shiro explained back into the camera lens. He turned off his handheld camera as Lance helped Shiro place his GoPro head strap onto his head. 

 

“I dunno, babe… I’m a pretty good shot.” Lance teased, straightening their cameras out. Shiro simply laughed, shaking his head. Lance fiddled around with his other camera that was perched on a selfie stick. 

 

“Well, then good luck to you,” Shiro smiled. The two of them came here to do one thing and only: finally tell their fanbase that they’re official. Their subs have been guessing and wondering for over a month now. Sometimes the two would sit on the couch just reading what some people thought.

 

_ They’re totally fucking. Shance is true guys! Our ship is real! _

 

_ Anyone else ship Shance? #GiveLoveAShance _

 

_ Ever since they talked on Twitter, they collab in almost every video! #Shance _

 

They didn’t want to be that typical youtuber that makes a 20-minute long video explaining their relationship and how they met, etc. So Lance had the bright idea of announcing it through laser tag! 

 

“Lance, it’s time to go in.” Shiro pulled Lance from his thoughts, turning on their cameras, “May the best one win.” Shiro and Lance both walked into the laser tag arena, quickly separating. Shiro wasn’t going to lie. This game will be a million times harder with only one arm, but he was determined to beat Lance no matter what. One of Shiro’s flaws that Lance loved to point out was how competitive he was. But being competitive is better than nothing, right?! The lights dimmed, the laser lights and the music began to play. 

 

The two crept around the arena, sneaking in a few points here and there. So far, Shiro was pretty sure he was winning. Thank  _ god  _ the Marine Corps left him with the ability to dominate at laser tag. 

 

“Hey, Shiro!” Shiro whipped his head around to face the source of the voice. Lance. God, Shiro couldn’t get over how good he looked under the multi-colored lights. How did he land a man like this? He was honestly perplexed.

 

Before he knew it, Lance was upon him. He pulled Shiro by the vest of his laser tag uniform and dragged him to a corner away from sight. Lance’s weapon was hanging from its cord, forgotten. As he held up his recording selfie stick, he pushed Shiro up on the wall with a soft smile. Closer and closer, he leaned in until their lips inevitably met. 

 

They’ve kissed before, but each time Shiro kissed Lance it felt like it was their first time. Each time their lips met, Shiro felt nothing but a tingling sensation, sparks, and his heart fluttering in his chest. As cheesy as it sounds, Shiro 100% believed that their lips were meant just to each other. Every touch from Lance sent Shiro into a spiral, turning him into a human catastrophe. Lance definitely loved their kisses. Even more ever since he convinced Shiro to start using lip scrubs. 

 

“ あなたは私にとって、とても大事な存在です。” Shiro whispered against Lance’s lips, resting their foreheads together. 

 

“I have no clue what you just said, but I fucking love it when you speak Japanese, babe.” Lance smiled, using his free hand to rub his thumb gently across Shiro’s cheek. The first time he head Shiro say anything in his first language was when the idiot ran into a door, cursing loudly. At first, Lance couldn’t stop laughing but eventually kept bugging him to speak Japanese more. He just loved how easily the words flowed from Shiro’s lips. 

 

“I love you, Shiro, but…” Lance trailed off, his eyes falling to the ground. 

 

“What? What’s wrong?”

 

“I win,” Lance whispered, quickly grabbing his weapon and pulling his trigger. Shiro just stood there in shock, watching as Lance just kept racking up more and more points with each time he pulled the trigger. 

 

“You used me!” Shiro whined, frowning in defeat. Lance only pumped his arms in the air, yelling in victory. 

 

“All is fair in love and war.” Lance quipped, planting another kiss on Shiro’s cheek.

 

“Obviously I know that considering the lack of a right arm, but I never expected you to stoop so low!” Shiro continued to complain. He hated losing so much. It was one thing he never wanted to do.  

 

“Aww, babe, I’m sorry. Next time I’ll let you win.”

 

“Thank you. That’s more like it.” 

 

***

 

_ OH MY FUCKING GOD! THEY KISSED! OH, MY GOOOOD! THEY’RE DATING IT’S CONFIRMED! I CAN’T EVEN IM CRYING SO MUCH SOMEONE HELP! #SHANCEISREAL _

 

_ I'm actually crying you guys they’re dating it’s so pure….  _

 

_ Someone, please explain to me how just how fucking cute they are?? Like??? It should be illegal??? _

 

The internet blew up after Lance uploaded their video to his account. Their inboxes, notifications, and phone was blowing up from all sorts of people. 

 

_ From: Keith _

_ Thanks for telling me about you having a boyfriend. _

 

Fuck. Shiro stared down at his phone, biting his lip. He had completely forgotten to tell Keith about Lance. Shit. 

 

_ From: Shiro _

_ Fuck, Keith, I’m sorry.  _

 

_ From: Keith _

_ Whatever. I’m coming to town tonight. Thought I’d let you know since that’s the considerate thing to do. _

 

_ From: Shiro _

_ I’ll make it up to you. Dinner? You, me, and Lance. My treat. _

 

_ From: Keith _

_ I mean if you’re paying… Then yeah. I’ll be in around 4 or so.  _

 

_ From: Shiro _

_ See you then bro.  _

 

Well, this should be fun. If there’s one person Shiro wants approval from, it’s his brother. Keith and he have always been close. From the moment they were put into the same home, Shiro did anything and everything to make sure Keith was safe. Even though Shiro’s English as a child wasn’t the best, he and Keith were inseparable. The younger brother didn’t care about their language barrier. As long as Shiro continued to intimidate the bullies at the playground, they were cool with each other. Eventually, they grew out of the system, but they still stayed together. And they’ve been by each other through everything up until now. 

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance Dinner? _

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad How romantic. Asking me over twitter.  _

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance Already had Twitter open. Too lazy to go to IMessage.  _

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad Hm… Well… I guess I can accompany you. _

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance Great! Uhhh, btw, my brother is coming. _

 

Lance stared at the screen of his phone, unable to move. Oh god. Oh, God. Oh,  _ God _ . Today would be the day he met the brother. The infamous, emo, rebel, dark, mysterious brother. Time to freak out. 

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad WHAT?! The pressure is on now! I have to actually try and look good for once! _

 

_ Space Dad: _

_ @LanceyLance You always look good :-) _

 

_ Lancey Lance: _

_ @SpaceDad Now is not the time for flirting! I’m freaking out! AHH!  _

 

Shiro laughed at Lance’s panic, shaking his head as he put his phone down. Lance always dreaded having to meet Keith. He knew they probably wouldn’t get along, since Keith is a, in Lance’s word, a rebel and emo. 

 

Shiro watched as the time passes, laying on the couch in silence. He stared at his military memorabilia above the mantle, taking a deep breath as each ribbon, badge, and patch brought back another painful memory. 

 

***

 

“What is he doesn’t like me? What if he hates me? What if he thinks I’m dumb or that I’m not good enough? Oh God, Shiro, I’m about to puke-- I’m actually going to puke everywhere.” Lance kept spitfire insecurities in the car, holding his stomach. Shiro glanced off the road and over to him. 

 

“Babe. Stop. You’re amazing and Keith will see that” Shiro attempted to calm him down, but he had no clue if it was actually working. Lance was actually way more insecure than he led on, “You look great tonight and you’re not dumb. You’re smart as hell. And if anything, I’m the one that’s not good enough.” Shiro consoled, smiling softly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lance visibly relax. 

 

They pulled up to the restaurant, sitting in the car for a moment. Shiro pulled the keys out, sticking them back onto his lanyard. 

 

“I love you, Lance.” 

 

“I love you too, Kashi.” The two hopped out of the car, walking into the restaurant. Immediately they saw Keith sitting in a corner booth and promptly made their way to him. The younger man stood to his feet once he saw Shiro, a huge smile sweeping across his face. Shiro pulled Keith into a tight embrace. He could have killed Keith with all the force he used in that hug.

 

“Keith, this is my amazing and handsome  _ boyfriend _ , Lance.” Keith’s eyes moved over to Lance as he looked the other up and down. A million thoughts raced through not only Lance’s mind but also Keith’s.

 

“Uh, hi. Nice to meet you.” Keith stuck his hand out, which Lance shook firmly.

 

“Likewise,” Lance said softly, looking at the ground. He was so nervous he could puke. 

 

“Let’s sit down,” Shiro suggested, stepping aside for Lance to sit down. Keith crossed his arms as he looked between the two. The waitress brought out their drinks, laying them down in front of the three. 

 

“So… Lance. I hope you two are using protection.” Lance and Shiro immediately spat out their water, coughing. 

 

“Well, uh, you see… We haven’t-- We haven’t, uh... It’s just that… We haven’t yet, um, yeah-- we just… It’s not-- Never have we done--- God...” Lance sputtered, trying to find the right words to say.  What do you say to that?! Keith just looked at them and began to laugh loudly. 

 

“Fuck, guys, I’m only kidding.” He said between laughs. Great. He’s one of those people. Lance was definitely going to need all the miracles from God himself to get through his dinner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> あなたは私にとって、とても大事な存在です。= you mean so much to me


	6. FOR THE LOVE OF CLICKBAIT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6 MORE DAYS UNTIL BOOT CAMP GUUUUUYS!!! 
> 
> I'M FINALLY OUT OF FUCKING MISSOURI!!
> 
> Also, you'll see a fic of mine posted on Feb 29th, but that's my friend posting it for me. It's for the Shiro b-day exchange on Tumblr. 
> 
> Also, my dream rank is an E-9 (Master Gunnery Sgt) which is 20+ years, but my MOS ranks me up really quick, so I might reach it quicker.

**Two months later…**

 

“Here’s what I don’t get… What do those ranks and everything mean?” Lance asked, softly stroking the red and gold embroidered ranks. Shiro pulled it from the case to show the camera in front of them that recorded their interaction. 

 

“Well… This is my rank out of boot camp. It’s one stripe, so that’s a private first class. This---” He pulled out the much bigger rank, “This is my ending rank. After the… incident… I was obviously going to retire. So, this is rank is a Master Sergeant. I surprisingly ranked up pretty past due to my MOS.”

 

“...You’re what?”

 

“My job. How quickly you rank up can depend on your job and stuff. I still had to spend 15 years as government property, but it was still pretty fun.” Shiro stared at the ranks, a soft smile on his face. Lance could tell that part of him missed everything. But if the nightmares were any other indication, he knew that Shiro’s brain thoroughly disagreed. Shiro’s nightmares decreased from every night to once or twice a week. But it still took lots of work to get there. It took many nights of lecturing and interventions with Keith to even convince Shiro to step into a therapist's office. Shiro eventually agreed, thinking it wouldn’t make a difference… But Shiro eventually ate crow and admitted that it was, in fact, helping. 

 

“And these?” Lance pointed to the ribbon rack, lightly tapping on them. Shiro pulled them out of the case, showing them to the camera. 

 

“There’s too many to go through individually, but this ribbon here,” He pointed to a multi-colored ribbon with various yellows, blues, and reds, “This is a combat action ribbon. It’s awarded to those who  engaged the enemy, was under hostile fire, or attacked by the enemy.” Shiro stuck the rack back into the case, pulling out a medal. It had a purple ribbon with a white border. Then dangling off it was a heart, the profile of George Washington against the purple background. 

 

“This is the purple heart. As you can tell, I’m missing an arm. I lost it while engaging the enemy, so I was given this. It’s awarded to those either wounded or killed while engaging the enemy.” he gave it to Lance to look at as he put everything back into its spot. Lance handled it very carefully, not even wanting to breathe on it the wrong way. The past few months, they found themselves making more and more videos together. They eventually just gave up and made their own channel--  _ Voltron _ . They featured their friends and even Shiro’s brother numerous times. The fans loved it, too. 

 

_ OMG!!! I still can’t believe they’re dating… it’s like???? WHOMST?!?!? _

 

_ Can someone please give Keith some fucking milk?  _

 

_ Am I the only one who thinks Hunk is a SWEETHEART?!?! _

 

_ LANCE!!! WHO TOPS?! _

 

Video after video of Lance doing Shiro’s makeup and teaching him how to use a beauty blender eventually was birthed into the world through their conjoined channel. And on the other side, videos eventually surfaced of Lance learning how to make healthy smoothies and doing workouts with Shiro. It was the best of both worlds for them. It wasn’t about their subscriber count or their views at this point. It was the fact they were together and laughing, smiling, and joking around that made everything worth it for them. 

 

“I love you, Kashi,” Lance said softly, leaning over to give Shiro a soft kiss. The ribbons and ranks were left forgotten on the side table as Shiro pulled Lance closer to kiss him back. 

 

“I love you too, Lancey.” He mumbled back between kisses, the recording camera forgotten. Lance’s heart skipped a beat

 

‘So, this is what it feels like to fall in love.’ Shiro thought to himself. A smile appeared on his lips. 

 

**One year later…**

 

Not only were they not in Kansas City in this moment, but they were camping of all the things to do. The two decided to take a week trip down to Colorado for some time to get away from the city life for a hot second. The drive down was killer, but Shiro had a goal in mind. So, he packed up enough gear to survive the apocalypse and set off to Devil’s head mountain. So far, everything was going according to plan.

 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going or what we’re doing?” Lance asked, pulling the blindfold back over his eyes. The familiar bumps of hitting potholes gave no indication of their direction or destination. Shiro let out a soft laugh. All Lance knew was that Shiro came into the tent in a huss, told him to dress as nice as he could, then blindfolded him and ushered him away to the car. What could he be doing? Could he be getting ready to execute-style kill Lance? Or prank him? Feed him to the bears? The anticipation was killing him. 

 

“You’ll find out when we get there, babe.” The other said for the millionth time. Lance asked that about every other minute or so. The ride was quiet, but probably about 30 minutes later came to a stop. Shiro stepped out of the car and helped Lance out, grabbing his hand and leading him further and further away from the comfort of their car. 

 

“Stay right here,” Shiro said softly, grabbing things from the car and starting to set them up. Lance just tapped his foot on the grass, shivering from the slight breeze. Fuck, Colorado was still pretty cold in the summer. 

 

“Okay… You can look now.” Lance tugged the blindfold off his eyes, looking at everything around him. He was in complete shock. There stood Shiro… A fire pit set up with two chairs, a blanket on the ground, and a picnic basket. He looked up around him, the stars coming into full view. His ability to breathe left his body. This is absolutely crazy. There were so many stars. Back in Kansas City, he could count on one hand the stars in the sky… But here? There seemed to be millions upon millions. 

 

“I remember you saying how badly you wanted to be an astronaut as a kid…” Shiro walked closer to Lance, grabbing his hand gently, “This is the closest I could get. I promise when I become a millionaire, I’ll get you a rocketship to get you there.” Lance laughed, pulling Shiro into a tight hug. He couldn’t believe how amazing his boyfriend is. 

 

“Fuck, Shiro-- babe, this is… It’s better than great. It’s amazing. It’s perfect.” Lance’s smile outshone all the stars in the sky at that moment. It warmed Shiro’s heart so much to see such a small gesture could make someone he loved so happy. But he knew if this was close to breaking Lance, what he’s about to do will absolutely wreck him. 

 

“Hey, Lance?” Shiro asked softly as he pulled away from the other.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Close your eyes again and listen to my voice… Ok?” Lance nodded, closing his eyes. With a deep breath, Shiro reached into his pocket, grasping a small, velvet box. He fumbled to get it open for a second but eventually got it in all his one-handed glory. 

 

“Some of my favorite memories with you were so… simple. Like how every time we eat Lucky Charms on the floor even though we have a table. Or the times we would go to the movies, sit in the back row, and make out just like love-crazed teenagers. And definitely each time I’d be cooking dinner and you’d quickly turn it into a food fight. But I love waking up next to you the most. Lance, open your eyes.”  Lance slowly opened his eyes once more. Oh god. Oh  _ god _ . 

 

“Shiro-- what's?” Lance couldn’t form the rest of the words. Shiro was in front of him on one knee, holding a box out with a ring inside. He was speechless. 100% speechless.

 

“I never thought I would know what falling in love would be like… Until I met you. Lance, your avidity mixes with my despondency in the most perfect, crazy way I’ve seen. I want to be your forever, Lance. Will you marry me?” Lance stood there for a second in complete shock. He couldn’t believe this. It was so perfect. So fucking perfect. 

 

“Fuck, oh my god, Shiro-- _ Hell yes _ .” Lance wrapped his arms around Shiro, tears starting to form. A million thoughts raced through his mind, “I’m so glad you tweeted me back that day.” Shiro laughed, holding Lance close. That’s something they can both agree on. 

 

“I can’t wait to vlog this…” Lance muttered. Shiro simply rolled his eyes with another laugh.

 

“Is that the only thing you think about? Vlogging?”

 

“I’m a YouTuber… It’s all my mind knows to think about.” Shiro smiled at that, never letting go of Lance. He never wanted to let go. 

 

“I love you, Lance.” He muttered, giving him a soft kiss. 

 

“I love you too, Takashi.” The two eventually broke apart. Shiro placed the band on Lance’s hand and lead him over to their setup, starting the fire. That night they laid together, cooking the occasional smore and sharing the occasional heated kiss.

 

They laid there and talked about anything and everything. From how good Shiro looks with winged eyeliner, to how Lance was an actual encyclopedia when it came to space. They held each other, the soft explanations of constellations and stars leaving Lance’s mouth. Shiro smiled the entire time, basking in the amazingness that is his  boyfriend  fiance. Eventually, their conversations steered toward their YouTube channel and their announcement.

 

“For the love of clickbait, Lance, it can’t be a simple vlog. It has to be interesting. Big. Amazing. Like you.”

 

“For the love of clickbait???” Lance questioned.

 

“I thought it sounded pertinent to our YouTube conversation.” Lance laughed, shaking his head.

 

“I like it. It’s catchy.” 

 

“Did we just discover the title of our video?” Shiro questioned. 

 

“I think we did... “ Lance paused, snuggling closer to Shiro, “For the love of clickbait, marry me already!”

 

“Working on it, baby,” Shiro said with a soft smile. God, he loved this man. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I went to Colorado. the stars weren't visible b/c it was fucking cloudy. But the locals all said you can usually see a sky just filled with stars and sometimes the milky way. So, I pretended what seeing stars looks like... cause I haven't seen more than 5 stars in the sky at a time. 
> 
> Also, after boot camp, there's a small chance I'll make small drabbles in this AU here and there.


End file.
